Page 59 of Before and After

I hid my amusement. Piper and Everett were like a cat and a dog. Piper the glossy, prissy cat who liked things her way. Everett was a laid-back, mountain man, who didn’t give a fuck about uniforms.

“He used them as rags. He sent me a picture of himself wiping grease on them.” Her chin lifted, her eyes on fire. “While he was wearing that old, red flannel shirt he knows I hate.”

Ro was grinning.

“You’re the CEO,” she snapped. “You’re not supposed to find this amusing.”

“Uniforms are not my area, they’re yours.”

She tossed her head back. “I will ensure everything is up to the standards of a Langston Hotel, whatever it takes.”

She looked like a woman on a mission. Everett had better watch out.

For once, I had no idea who was going to win that battle.

Ro’s shrewd gaze landed back on me and I fought the urge to stiffen. “Now, time to share what’s bothering you.”

“Nothing.”

Ro leaned against the table and crossed his ankles. “I hear you’ve been kissing a certain member of the housekeeping team.”

Dammit. I should have known Tessa would tell him.

Piper straightened like she’d been hit with a prod. “What? Caden kissed someone?”

Ro inclined his head, clearly enjoying himself. “Allie Ford.”

The COO stared at me, dumbfounded. “I’ve never seen you show a single glimmer of interest in any woman. Even ones who blatantly throw themselves at you.”

“This topic is not up for discussion.”

Piper held up a hand. “Oh no. You pry into everything. Turnabout is fair play, my friend.”

“You’ve got a thing for Allie,” Ro said.

“A serious thing, since I know you usually avoid relationships,” Piper added.

“It doesn’t matter what I have. She’s a single mom, she’s rooted here in Windward. I’m not. And I’m…not right for her.”

The pair of them just stared at me.

I looked back at the screens. “I have monitoring to do.”

Ro straightened. “A good, protective man who can help her shoulder some of the responsibility weighing her down. Sounds like you’re exactly what Allie needs.” He glanced at his watch. “Shit, I have a call. We’ll talk more about this later.”

“No, we won’t.”

Ro shook his head, but swiveled and stalked out.

Piper eyed me. “I know talking about stuff like this isn’t your thing, but Caden, whatever came before…it doesn’t matter. You deserve to be happy.”

With that, she strode out on her heels.

I turned the audio back on. Happy? For so long, I’d just been happy to survive. After starting at Langston, I’d found some measure of…contentment. I didn’t know how to have more than that.

Another hour ticked by and nothing the ESG said proved useful.

A moment later, the conference room door opened and Allie walked in. My chest squeezed.